Doormen threat leads to arrest

A 24-YEAR-OLD man has been fined after taking a martial arts stance and threatening to slit the throats of doormen during a night out in Burton.

Scaffolder, Mark Betts, had been out in the town centre for a night out by himself when the trouble started, Burton Magistrates’ Court heard, where he later told the court ‘bad things happen when I go out on my own.’

Betts appeared at the Horninglow Street courthouse on Thursday to admit being drunk and disorderly in a public place, namely High Street, on December 13.

Police were out on patrol that night when they saw Betts, who was slurring his speech and was unstable on his feet.

Andrew Bodger, prosecuting, said to the court: “He told police he had been refused entry to a pub and was quite frustrated and was talking about martial arts, adding he would rip their throats out after they refused him entry.”

The police told him to go home and he went away.

However, around 30 minutes later Betts, who has one previous conviction, was stopped by the same doormen and was seen throwing his hands in the air, swearing and shouting and was taking a martial arts stance, moving his arms in front of him and making threats to kill, and refusing to leave the area.

Police were called and Betts was later arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

In court, the defendant, who was representing himself, told magistrates: “I can agree with everything but I don’t particularly remember.

“I am sorry for wasting everyone’s time. This shouldn’t have taken place. It was silly of me.

“Before that night I had just ended my relationship and while that shouldn’t be an excuse, I think that might have caused the problem.

“That night I went out on my own and bad things happen when I go out on my own so I won’t be doing it again.”

Betts, of Somercotes, Birmingham, has been fined £115, with £85 court costs and a £20 victim surcharge.